The history of the Tennessee Central Railway is the story of a long, hard pull against what seemed to be unsurmountable odds. It is a history that has been plagued by financial panics, fires, and the jealousy of individuals, determined to keep TC from connecting Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee by the shortest route. It is the story of the courage of the company's early leaders who fought these plagues and eventually established the 251 mile line of rails - - 166 miles to Harriman, Tennessee, linking Middle Tennessee with the East, and 65 miles to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, which links Middle Tennessee with the North. Over these lines, which began with a dream of the founders and evolved into reality with time and effort, we now haul for our shippers coal, timber, coke, tobacco, iron, and numerous other commodities which insures these shippers a ready outlet to get their products to their markets.

We connect with Southern Railway and the CNO&TP Railway at Harriman and Emory Gap, with the Illinois Central at Hopkinsville, and the L&N at Clarksville. Thus, an outlet is established for shippers along our lines to market their products in every direction, and in turn, foreign lines have an opportunity to make connections with TC at Hopkinsville, Clarksville, Nashville, Emory Gap, and Harriman.

The history of the Tennessee Central really began in 1866 when the Tennessee & Pacific Railway, under the presidency of James D.B. DeBow, had projected the idea to build a line from Nashville to Knoxville, but the road was built only as far East as Lebanon. The Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railway bought out this small line shortly after its inception and operated it as the Lebanon Branch of the NC&STL until about 25 years ago. However, this was an entirely different route than the present route of Tennessee Central.

On the Lebanon end of the road, hopeful signs appeared in 1884, when Mr. Alexander Crawford, a wealthy Pennsylvania iron master, became interested in the mineral deposits in the Cumberland Plateau area and began the construction of a road proposed from Nashville to Knoxville. Mr. Crawford built a line from Lebanon to Cookeville before his death, and his sons built a line on into Monterey. This meant that with the Lebanon Branch of NC&STL, combined with the Crawford road (known as the Nashville & Knoxville), that 110 miles of track had been completed from the Nashville end. Mr. Crawford tried in vain to get financial backing for the N&K line to come into Nashville without making the Lebanon connection. He ilso,.built a small line into the coal regions out of Monterey.

Tennessee Central entered the picture when its first president, Jere Baxter, procured a charter on August 25, 1893, for a line to be known as the Tennessee Central Railroad. His primary aim was to link the gap between West Tennessee from the Tennessee River and Nashville and from Nashville East to Lebanon, Monterey, and Knoxville. But it takes money to build railroads, so Mr. Baxter's strategy was to acquire money to build the road eastward from Monterey to Harriman. He personally carried his campaign for funds into Cumberland and Roane Counties, and was successful in selling $200,000 in bonds in these two counties. Five or six miles of grading had been completed eastward when the panic of 1893 struck the United States. The road contractor failed, and time temporarily stood still.

With the depression prevailing, money was hard to find, and Mr. Baxter's own private fortune had disappeared with the panic and now he saw his great dream, which had started to become a reality, slipping through his fingers. In April 1895, it was deemed best to have a receiver appointed. It seemed that cessation of work on the road was inevitable. But Mr. Baxter's keen mind averted the disaster of having the work stop completely and permanently. He used the receivers certificates as a basis for credit and went ahead.

Operations in Cumberland and Roane Counties had cost $576,000 and these debts had to be paid. Mr. Baxter spent 21 months in St. Louis, at his own expense, endeavoring to enlist the aid of capitalists there. His voice, for the most part, fell on deaf ears, but he succeeded in forming a syndicate which at the foreclosure sale, June 24, 1897, bought the property and paid cash for it.

By straining his own credit, and in various ways, Mr. Baxter succeeded in eliminating the nearly half million dollars indebtedness which had come about due to the construction of the East Route. All of the $576,000 was paid except $24,000 and this feat gained wide acclaim for Mr. Baxter with the mountain people in the Cumberlands.

With the reorganization of the road, the decks were cleared for action. With the assurance that the road would now be built to a connection with the Cincinnati Southern (now a part of Southern Railway), according to his early design, he began to close up the long line of battle which had been formed years before.

In retrospect, let us review his original plans and position. In execution of his original plan, he had opened negotiations for the acquisition of the Tennessee Midland link, from Memphis to the Tennessee River, shortly after he had taken out the charter of the Tennessee Central. Simultaneously, he was moving on the Legislature to secure an amendment to the Charter of the City of Nashville to enable it to vote aid to railroads. It had been demonstrated in the Midland election, as far back as 1887, that Nashville proper was more strongly in favor of such a proposition than the rural population. It was now designed to give the municipality an opportunity to express its will apart from the country.

Thus it is plain to see Mr. Baxter's keen strategy. His purpose was to make his line of battle as long as possible so as to prevent concentration at any given point of the forces of his enemies. While he was trying to capture the Midland in the western division, he was seeking favorable action from the Legislature and arousing Nashville in the central and at the same time he was pushing his way across the plateau to the coveted Eastern connection.

In 1894, he had secured strong backing for the purchase of the Tennessee Midland, but at the last hour, when he had a check in his hand for $250,000 from one of his ardent backers, the subtle hand of his opponent intervened. The negotiations were abruptly closed and the public learned that, at the insistence of the management of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the Midland road had been leased to the Nashville, Chattanooga & St, Louis Railway Company. Thus vanished Mr. Baxter's hopes of acquiring the Midland road and linking the western part of Tennessee with the east.

But that was only one strike against his plans and it takes three before you strike out. He won the fight before the Legislature and had secured valuable terminal franchises from the City Council of Nashville. In the early fall of 1898, the road from Monterey to Emory Gap was completed; a lease of the Nashville and Knoxville road, with an option to buy, had been secured; Nashville was in a legal position to cooperate and the time was ripe to emancipate Nashville from the throes of a railroad monopoly.

The completion of the Eastern connection with the Cincinnati Southern was made the occasion for an excursion of Nashville business men and others along the line when on September 18, 1898, two hundred persons left the city to travel the route as the guests of Mr. Baxter. Addresses of welcome were made everywhere along the line and a ray of hope radiated along the "Liberty Line" from Lebanon to Harriman.

The climax came at Harriman when the Cincinnati Southern and Southern met and Colonel Baxter made the following remarks:

"I have encountered obstacles innumerable and I thank God for sustaining me in my determination to bring this road through the mountains at any cost. I am proud to have redeemed my word and to have performed this service for my State, the greatest in the Union, whose native wealth and natural resources are as yet unknown.

"I have spent the greater part of my natural life in this town and I intend to devote the rest of it to the development of this great State. I came here tonight ready to labor for the prosperity of my country, to break asunder the chains that for centuries have bound the untold millions and cast them out into the world, to enrich all classes of my fellow citizens from the dweller in the humble cabin to the coal and iron barons."

Everyone realized that the decisive struggle between the ancient rival combantants--the L&N monopoly and Jere Baxter--was now rapidly approaching. The Tennessee Central now was complete in the East with the exception of the link between Nashville and Lebanon. The management of the L&N was determined to keep an independent railroad out of the Capitol City. Jere Baxter on the other hand was just as determined to finish the connection of the East route into the City.

The link between Nashville and Lebanon was completed in 1902. The first train to reach Nashville over the Tennessee Central from South Harriman arrived the afternoon of May 27, 1902 at the new depot near the corner of Front (now First Avenue) and Broad Streets.

On board the train were Colonel Jere Baxter, Mayor James M. Head of Nashville and a large delegation of citizens and supporters of the road from Nashville who joined Mayor Rolla Wells of St. Louis, J. C. VanBlarcom and N. C. Chapman, principal financial supporters of road, and others from St. Louis who had helped financially and were here to celebrate the occasion which announced that the Tennessee Central had an unbroken line of railroad between Nashville and South Harriman.

According to the newspaper account, a parade followed, "one of the greatest parades which the city has seen in recent years". "No more cordial reception could have been desired. As Colonel Baxter rode along, the people wildly cheered and applauded him and showed in every way possible their sympathy and gratification over this successful point in his work of bringing his railroad to Nashville."

Another item in the newspaper carried the following story: "an amusing incident of the Lebanon trip took place when the NC&STL morning accomodation to Lebanon passed the Tennessee Central train beyond the Hermitage. No prospect of a race could have been thought of, but the spirit of rivalry caused the engineer of the old road to put on full speed, quickly gliding beyond the new train. The engineer of the Tennessee Central blew his whistle defiantly: "You can pass me," he said, "but I've got you bottled up."

After the parade ended, everyone gathered at the Tabernacle for a series of speeches. That night at the Duncan Hotel a large banquet was given and the newspaper had the following account:

"One of the most elaborate banquets ever given in the City of Nashville will be spread at the Duncan Hotel tonight by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Merchants Association to celebrate the entrance of the road into Nashville.

"The visitors will remain in town several days conferring with Colonel Baxter and the local officials of the road and deciding details in regard to the continuation of the road to Clarksville."

The Nashville and Clarksville Railroad Company was incorporated on April 16, 1901, under the laws of Tennessee to construct a railroad from Nashville to Clarksville, Tennessee.

By an amendment dated June 30, 1901, the western terminus was changed to a point on the Tennessee-Kentucky state line in Montgomery County, Tennessee; and it was also authorized to acquire, by purchase or consolidation, the lines owned and operated or being constructed by the Tennessee Central Railway, Tennessee Central Railway Company and the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad Company, between Nashville and Emory Gap, Tennessee.

Under an amendment to its charter, dated April 30, 1902, the Company's name was changed to Tennessee Central Railroad Company.

The original plan was to extend the railroad up Front Street (now First Avenue) and westward to Clarksville and Hopkinsville. A portion of the road was built at night along Front Street and the two combatants - the L&N monopoly and Jere Baxter - locked horns in a great struggle. Finally an injunction stopped the work just as the road was completed up Front Street.

They would not let Jere Baxter build his railroad through the City, so he went around it to the South. Later when Nashville filled out, this going-around-town gave the Tennessee Central a belt line which almost completely surrounds Nashville.

Work on the western division to Clarksville was commenced in 1902. The Charter was later amended so that the railway was authorized to extend its line into and through the State of Kentucky. The first train from Nashville to Ashland City was in October 1903.

In February 1904 the western division of the TC from Southern Junction (Nashville) to Hopkinsville was completed to connect with the Illinois Central at Hopkinsville. Also in 1904, the eastern end of the main line was extended from Emory Gap to Harriman, Tennessee, 2.3 miles, there connecting with the Southern Railway.

After Mr. Baxter's death, and during the three year period from July 1, 1905, to June 30, 1908, the western division of the railway between Nashville and Hopkinsville was leased to the Illinois Central and operated by that Company. The eastern division from Nashville to Harriman was operated by the Southern Railway.

To build a railroad up the Cumberland Plateau had cost a lot of money and resulted in heavy annual fixed charges for the Tennessee Central and financial difficulties. On December 31, 1912, the company was placed in the hands of Receivers by order of the United States District Court at Nashville under a bill filed by the Mercantile Trust Company of St. Louis, Missouri. The company was operated under receivership until January 10, 1922, when it was sold to a purchasing syndicate who transferred it to the new Company.

The Tennessee Central Railway Company, the present Company, was chartered in Tennessee on January 26, 1922, for the purpose of acquiring and operating the railroad property formerly owned by the Tennessee Central Railroad Company, and formal possession of property was taken at midnight on January 31, 1922.

The Tennessee Central is known as a short line road among railroad men (some people think it is a branch line, but this is not so). The 251 mile main line of the railway is a small part of America's 215,000 mile total, but it is vastly important to the region it serves.

The Tennessee Central was originally built to haul coal - back in the 1880's when Alexander Crawford bought up several thousand acres of coal and timber land in Fentress and Putnam Counties and built a railroad from Hanging Limb in Fentress County to Carthage (this road was a portion of the N&K). His idea was to haul his coal as far as

Carthage by rail, and then ship it down the Cumberland to Nashville and points as far away as New Orleans.

The first coal mine in Tennessee was in Roane County, located at the Old Kimbro Bank, not too far from the present Tennessee Central tracks. It was in 1814 that "black gold" was first found in Tennessee, but none was shipped out until 1832. In recent years the coal traffic originating on the Tennessee Central has materially decreased.

Tennessee Central has branches to Wilder from Monterey, to Carthage from Carthage Junction, and to Old Hickory from Stone River. Our road also serves Fort Campbell, Kentucky, rail station Edgoten, which was hardly important enough for an agency until 1942 when the United States Army built Camp Campbell, which was later made a permanent installation and is now Fort Campbell. Tennessee Central is the Fort's only rail connection.

Tennessee Central first went into Old Hickory back during World War I during the powder plant days. This branch line was built by the Government to service the powder plant with personnel and to haul material for construction of the plant. At that time, NC&STL and TC used the branch line jointly. Thousands of workers and a large amount of freight were hauled over this line daily. Passenger trains operated between Nashville and Old Hickory were known as the "Powder Puffs".

For almost two years, the powder plant at Old Hickory operated by DuPont under an agreement with the Government, manufactured the much needed firing powder. Following the Armistice ending World War I, activities at the powder plant became dormant and the population gradually dimished. This left the branch line into Old Hickory dead.

It is reported that the Nashville Industrial Corporation, which was organized to take over the huge holdings from the Government after the war, attempted to negotiate with the other two railroads into Nashville to take over this branch line. However, failing to reach an agreement with the other two roads, Nashville Industrial Corporation then turned to Tennessee Central. Mr. Stanley, then President, agreed to take over the line.

In the summer of 1923 the DuPont Company chose Old Hickory for the site of a fibre plant. A contract was signed between the Company and the Nashville Industrial Corporation for 500 acres northeast of the powder plant reservation along the river. This was the beginning of the rise of the City from the ruins of what had been a temporary wartime development. The new DuPont plant was started in April 1924, and an January 24, 1925, the first spinning machine was placed in operation.

It has been said that there is probably not another railroad like Tennessee Central in all the land - perhaps this is true - two-thirds of our main running track are in Middle Tennessee's central basin, but the 166 miles between Nashville and Harriman snake up and down through the Cumberland Mountains. From Nashville at 498 feet above sea level we climb 1500 feet to a point just east of Dripping Springs, 2025 feet above sea level, said to be the highest point on any railroad between Asheville and Chicago.

As the Old Timers say, "railroading jest ain't the same" -- This is true - Railroading has changed! But in changing it has progressed to try to keep pace with the needs of modern industry and an ever expanding nation. The motive power and equipment of today is more powerful and efficient than was ever believed possible in the "good old days", however, "it jest ain't the same" - no steam locomotive puffing, no smell of black smoke, no hiss of escaping steam.

The motto of Tennessee Central has long been "The Road of Personal Service" and we have tried to keep this the same.

Nashville, Tennessee

October, 1966